ArcaMax

DEAR HARRIETTE: My son has gotten ahold of my credit card information and has been using it excessively and without my permission. He is 23 years old. He has a job and lives on his own. This feels like a violation to me, but my husband thinks I am overreacting and that my son probably thought it was OK. From what I've gathered, it seems like he ...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I have two friends I see frequently, but they rarely see each other. When we all get together, inevitably one will start telling the other a story I have heard many times. Then the other will tell HER a story with which I am very familiar.

I've tried staring vacantly off into space, but it doesn't seem to be noticed. How can ...Read more

Dear Annie: My 11-year-old son, "Max," used to eat, sleep and breathe baseball. He wore his glove to the grocery store, slept in his favorite team T-shirt and spent hours in the backyard throwing a ball against the fence, narrating imaginary World Series games.

This year he finally made the local travel baseball team, which was supposed to be...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My daughter won't allow me to have a relationship with my toddler grandson without constantly interfering. Everything is "no." She says things like: "Don't bring him a toy every time you come over -- no more toys. No TV. Don't play the (kids) music too loud. No, he cannot go outside; there are bugs or it's too hot. Don't give him milk...Read more

Some fear rarely announces itself. It moves quietly, almost politely, and takes a chair in the corner of your chest and waits. Some days, I forget it is there. Other days, it stirs the cauldron of my stomach until I'm forced to account for it.

For most of my life, I believed bravery belonged to people who felt certain. Heroes in stories seemed ...Read more

Dear Annie: My stepson is 22 and autistic. For 12 years, he lived with us half the time and with his mother the other half. During those years, I was very involved in his life -- I went into his classroom to help with his needs, drove him to school and appointments, took him shopping and spent time just hanging out with him. I truly tried to ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: I am a teacher. I love my job, and I love my students. However, as I near the end of my 26th year of teaching, there's something I need to get off my chest. At the end of every school year, many parents ask me to write a personal note to their student as an inscription in a certain children's book. They request this of all of their ...Read more

DEAR HARRIETTE: My friend and I were talking recently, and she made a comment about my daughter that caught me off guard. It wasn't outright cruel, but it was insensitive: She implied that my daughter was "a lot to handle" and hinted that her behavior made it difficult for people to be around her. I know kids can be overwhelming at times, and I'...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: Just after Thanksgiving each year, my young nieces send out a letter to the extended family that contains their "Letter to Santa," outlining the things they would like as gifts.

Sometimes the letters are very cute. My husband and his siblings grew up with these letters as a tradition, and I don't mind receiving them.

What I ...Read more

Dear Annie: I have a good friend "Amy," who is a great lady. We've known each other for about 15 years, but we reconnected about two years ago and started attending events together, including dinners that range from casual to fine dining. We're both in our late 40s and single. She's a mom of three almost-grown adults who she raised without her...Read more

DEAR MISS MANNERS: I received an invitation for a work-sponsored event. The invitation states: "To help us minimize our environmental footprint and make cleanup easier, we kindly ask that you bring your own silverware, plate and beverage container."

So, when I arrive, I will be toting a plate, some silverware (not sure if I will need a knife or...Read more

Dear Annie: I love my sister dearly, but she's one of those people who always has to top everyone's story. If I mention I had a bad cold, she'll say hers turned into pneumonia. If I get a compliment at work, she'll mention a big promotion she got years ago. Family gatherings have become exhausting because every conversation somehow circles ...Read more

DEAR ABBY: My best friend of more than 10 years, "Ian," ghosted me! We used to talk about everything -- wives, children, jobs. We spent hours together and helped each other sort out our problems. He knew more about me than my wife. With no explanation, he stopped responding to texts and messages and is ignoring my calls. I have come to terms ...Read more